Receptacle



April 10, 1934. E c, WOLF 1,954,006

RECEPTACLE Filed Oop. 19. 1952 mum 5 Wb/f Patented Apr. 10, 1934 UNITED STATES RECEPTACLE Edward 0. Wolf, Mequon, Wis.

Application Octeber 19,

3 Claims.

It is an object of this invention to provide an inexpensive receptacle preferably formed of card board, to receive the usual dirt ball enclosing the roots of a tree or plant to be vended, and having 5 novel means for retaining the same in the receptacle.

More specifically, it is an object of this inven tion to provide means formed in the cover of the receptacle for retaining the plant or tree roots 0 and the dirt ball surroimding the same in the receptacle.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described and more particularh defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come Within the scope of the claims.

In the accompanying drawing, one complete example of the physical embodiment of this invention is illustrated constructed according to the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a receptacle embodying this invention illustrating in dotted lines the manner in which the roots of small trees and the dirt ball surrounding them is received in the receptacle and held therein; and

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the receptacle showing the top open.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing, the numeral 5 designates aboxlike receptacle preferably of four side walls 6 connected by a bottom '7.

The receptacle is preferably constructed of card board so that the side walls and bottom together with the flaps to be later described, which 40' form the top 8, may be cut from a single blank and folded in a manner well known in the carton industry.

The top 8 is formed by four flaps 9 hingedly connected to the adjacent edges of the side walls 6 and each of sufficient size to cover the entire open top of the receptacle.

Each flap 9 is provided with a central opening 10 and a slit 11 leading from the opening to the outer edge of the flap which is notched as at 12, the slit 11 terminating at the apex of the notch.

To pack a tree, plant, shrub, or the like in the receptacle, its roots enclosed in the usual dirt ball, are placed in the receptable as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1. The flaps 9 are then folded 55. down to closed position, the slits 11 permitting the 1932, Serial No. 638,460

13 leading from the holes to the outer edges of the flaps, for by reason of these score marks the flap portions defining the sides of the slits are easily deflected.

After the flaps are folded down, one over the other, as shown in Fig. 1, they are secured against opening by the engagement of tongues 14 formed on the outer corners of the uppermost flap, in retaining slits 15 out in the opposite flap.

The internal surface of the receptacle may be waterproofed, if desired, to retain the moisture of the dirt wall.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, that this invention afiords a neat and clean package for vending small trees and similar articles.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A receptacle for vending small trees and the like having their roots embedded in a quantity of moisture-retaining material, comprising an open topped box to receive the embedded roots, and flaps hingedly connected to the upper edges of the side walls of the box to fold down over its open top one upon the other, said flaps having centrally disposed openings adapted to be substantially aligned when the flaps are folded down and through which the stem of the tree extends, and each flap having a slit leading from its opening to an outer edge thereof to enable the positioning of the stem of the tree in said openings, and said outer edge being notched at the terminus of the slit to facilitate passing the stem through the slit.

2. A receptacle for vending small trees and the like having their roots embedded in a quantity of moisture retaining material, comprising an open topped box adapted to receive the embedded roots, and flaps hingedly connected to the upper edges of opposite side walls to fold down over the open top of the box, one upon the other, said flaps having centrally disposed openings adapted to be substantially aligned and through which the stem of the tree extends and having slits leading from the openings to an outer edge thereof to enable the passage of the stem into the openings, the portions of the flaps at opposite sides of said slits having score marks therein to enable deflection of the flap portions directly adjacent the slits and facilitate the passage of the stem therethrough.

and through which the stem of a tree may extend, and having slits leading from the openings to an outer edge thereof to enable the passage of the stem of the tree into said openings, and a retaining tongue carried by one of the flaps and engageable in a slit formed in another flap to hold the flaps in their closed position.

EDWARD C. WOLF. 

